CES won’t be around for another few months or so, but there’s already big iPhone news emerging from Las Vegas. Wahoo Fitness, start-up created with the purpose of transforming the iPhone into a serious fitness tool, is introducing their two big “Fisica” products at Interbike, the annual bicycle trade show taking place in the desert for the next few days.

The first is a 30-pin dongle that sells for $79 and let’s the iPhone communicate with any ANT+ sensor — which means practically every heart-rate sensor (except, oddly, Polar’s), cadence sensor, powertap, foot pod and many bicycle speed sensors. The second is a $139 case that basically does the same thing, but adds what Wahoo calls “storm safe” weather-resistance, bike mounting hardware and the ability to add their optional backpack batteries (no word on price).

The dongle has actually been shipping direct from Wahoo’s website for the past three weeks; the case won’t be available until early November.

But the ANT+ hardware is just half of the equation. Wahoo have also convinced app developers, including well-known outfits like MapMyFitness, to develop apps that interface with the hardware; five fully different apps (all running-related) are ready to go, with 12 more in development, including bicycling apps and a rowing app. Just to be safe, Wahoo developed their own app that interfaces with pretty much any type of sensor, but remains pretty bare-bones in terms of functions.

About the author

When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path — which explains why he's Cult of Mac's test editor-at-large. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.

(sorry, you need Javascript to see this e-mail address) | Read more posts by Eli Milchman.